A Future Lost, But Not Forgotten
by Riku Courtier
Summary: Having to live with the weight of those who abuse you and hate you is difficult. Especially if you've already lost the only ones who would love you during those times. But Shira's finally had enough. After four years of nothing but pain and torture, she goes to the one person who can help her. Hershel Layton. "Are you alright, my dear?" An Unwound Future story. Contains OC.
1. Prologue: Losing The Ones I Care About

**Hi Everyone! RML here with my new obsession...er...I mean new fanfiction...Oh, what the heck. Yes, Professor Layton is my new obsession. Deal with it. lol Okay, so, lately, I've been watching a lot of Professor Layton stuff on youtube and, when I first started typing this, had just finished watching a walkthrough of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future. Which, in my opinions, has one of the saddest endings in a video game I have seen in a long time. Up there with the whole of Mother 3. lol Okay, so, just this last weekend, I managed to get my hands on my own copy of Professor Layton and the Curious Village _and_ Professor Layton and the Unwound Future for about $33 total. :) Thank you Best Buy and Gamestop! ^^ So, yeah, I've been very happy. And, since I can now play through the game myself, I am able to figure out how things will play out with this story. Speaking of which...**

**Anyways, I've been in a real Professor Layton mood and I came up with this story. Now, before we get started with the actual story, I just want to say right now that there is going to be a lot of time skipping in the first...oh, about 4 to 5 chapters. The reason for this is because the main part of this story takes place 10 years after the prologue you are about to read, but important stuff happens in between that needs to be taken into account before the exciting, main part of the story begins. So, think of the first 4 chapters as a part of a really long introduction. But, enough about that. You'll see for yourselves in the next few days or so. I'm going to try to write out the chapters as best I can and as fast as I can, so...yeah. I've already got 3 chapters done and am starting on the fourth after I finish this, so...**

**Anyways, enough of my rambling! On with the story! **

**Clive: *glares* You forgot the disclaimer, RML. **

**RML: *eyes widen* You aren't supposed to be here yet! *shoves Clive into Authoress Closet***

**Clive: What? HEY! LET ME OUT! *starts banging on the door***

**RML: He does have a point though. I don't own Professor Layton or any characters from the series. I do own Shira, her mother, her sister and...that's about it in this chapter. lol Anyways, ENJOY!**

**Clive: *from Authoress Closet* Hey, what's this? *flames burst out from under Authoress Door***

**RML: Oh Crap! He found my Authoress Flamethrower! Gotta Go! **

**Luke: ...So...uh...just to let you all know, this will be the only chater that has a MAJORLY long Authoress note at the beginning...most likely...maybe...er...Hi Everyone! *waves at readers***

**Clive: *manages to break down Authoress Closet door and starts chasing RML with Authoress Flamethrower* You are so DEAD for locking me in there! **

**RML: LUKE! HELP ME! GET THE PROFESSOR! **

**Luke: *sweatdrop***

* * *

"You promise not to take too long, Shira?" My mother asked me as I went to grab my sleeveless coat from the hook by the door. It completed my summer attire, all short sleeves, though my warm coat also was hung up nearby in case a London storm ever swept in, which they did often.

However, this day was just perfect. A beautiful day. It was just too bad my younger sister, of 7 years to my 13, was sick in bed. Which was why I was preparing to walk out the door, so that I may fetch some medicine and herbal tea in the hopes that she would be better by the day's end.

"Yes, Mother. I promise. The pharmacy is not very far off from here. It should not take me too long." I said, slipping my tan newsboy hat on over my shoulder length blond hair.

My mother smiled at me as I turned towards her, her hand outreached with the money for the medicine and tea in it. She dropped the pounds into my hands before kissing me on the cheek and leading me towards the door. "Now, just be careful. I don't you getting hurt while you are out there. You know how the hooligans of London can get."

I chuckled at this, only to realize that Mother was slightly glaring at me, showing me she was not kidding in what she said.

"Oh, and one more thing, Shira. I heard that some kind of experiment was to take place next door today, so, I want you not to go inside to see Claire today. She's going to be very busy and I do not want you bothering her while she's doing her work."

I simply nodded, opening the door and stepping outside to a soft breeze. "Alright Mother, I will be sure to leave be today, only going to get the things for Kay before returning. It should take me no longer than 20 minutes to get there, get it, and come back."

"Alright, I'm counting on you dearie." Mother called out to me as I left our small apartment. Ever since Mother had left Father, mainly because of abuse, we had lived in the small apartment next to some scientific institute.

It was there where my mother, my sister, and I met Claire. She was a very kind woman and she often came over for tea when she had her breaks from working as an assistant. For some reason though, Claire and I were better friends than her and my mother. She was like the older sister I could confide in about my problems and worries.

There were many a night when we would stay up late and talk. She would tell me about her boyfriend, a young archeologist professor by the name of Hershel Layton, and I would tell her of the boy who lived two floors down, by the name of Clive. She told me she was hoping that, someday soon, he would propose to her. I could see the true love in her eyes when she had said that. She loved this man more than anything and I just _knew_ she wanted to be there for him, always.

I smiled as my thoughts went to the conversation we had had the day before.

* * *

_I was just finishing up with brewing some tea when a knock came to the door. Since Mother and Kay had left for the afternoon for Kay's doctor's appointment, I walked briskly to the door, glancing past the curtain to see a big box and a familiar clump of hair towards the top of it. Smiling, I opened the door, greeting my guest and friend._

"_Good afternoon, Claire. Would you like to come in?" I moved out of the way, allowing her to come inside. I closed the door behind her as she set the box down on the kitchen counter and sat down on one of the bar stools we used for lounging around. She grinned at me as made my way towards the tea. _

"_Would you like some tea, Claire?" I asked her as I took the kettle off of the hot stove, shutting off the fire before setting about getting a few tea cups and saucers out of the cupboard. _

"_I would very much like that. Thank you, Shira." She replied as she started to wipe her fogged up glasses clean. _

_I set the two sets of tea cups and saucers down, pouring out tea for the two of us before I took my own seat. She took a sip of her tea before her eyes brightened happily. "Oh, Cayenne Twilight! My favorite!" _

_I chuckled. "I figured you were going to come over today, so I thought I'd brew some up." I took a sip of my own tea, the light taste of it soon leaving a spicy aftertaste in my mouth. I closed my eyes and smiled, allowing the tea to put me into a state of calmness. _

_I opened my eyes again a few moments later, my curiosity piquing as my gaze fell on the large box that Claire had brought in. "So, Claire. What is inside the box, if I may ask?"_

_She took another sip of her tea before setting the cup and saucer down, her eyes twinkling. "It's a gift for Hershel. He's starting to become quite renowned in his professional position, so I thought I would get him a gift. I brought it over to see what you thought of it before I gave it to him tomorrow."_

_My eyes quickly got the same twinkling in them as excitement rose up inside of me. What could Claire have gotten her dear Professor? I just had to know. "Well, now you've got me excited! Let's see it!" I exclaimed giddily. _

_Claire laughed as she stood up. "Okay, okay. Don't get your knickers in a twist." She said playfully as she clutched the top of the box, pulling the larger part of the box off, revealing a blackish-brown top hat with a tomato red band tied around the base. _

_I was speechless for a few moments, causing Claire to worry a little bit._

"_Well, do you think he'll like it?"_

_I smiled warmly at her, patting her on the shoulder. "I think he'll _love_ it, Claire. Besides, a top hat is very becoming of a gentleman, isn't it?"_

"_How right you are, Shira. He _is_ quite the gentleman. I don't think there's another like him in all of London."_

"_Or even all the world!" I declared, getting a chuckle out of my ginger haired friend. "You know, I don't think you have introduced me to this fine gentlemanly boyfriend of yours. I would very much like to meet him." I smirked as I continued. "Besides, maybe he can teach that little cheeky monkey downstairs a thing or two about being a gentleman."_

_Another laugh. "Aw, Shira. He can't be that bad." _

_I smirked. "You want to bet on that?"_

_Claire just shook her head as she put the box back over the exquisite top hat. "Oh, Shira. You'll see. I'm sure that he'll be a proper gentleman before too long." She winked. "Just you wait. He may just end up sweeping you off your feet. And, about you meeting Hershel, you're right. I'll be sure to bring him by sometime so you may meet him, how about that?"_

_I clapped my hands together in excitement. "That would be wonderful, Claire!"_

"_Well then, I'll be sure to speak with him about taking time off to come down for here a visit. But, for now, I really should be going. I'm supposed to have dinner with him tonight and I need to get ready." She said as she stood up to leave. She leaned in close though, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Though, just between you and me, I think he may just pop the question tonight."_

_My eyes widened. "Really? ! That would be awesome, Claire! I wish you the best tonight!"_

_Claire smiled as she picked up the hat box, carrying it to the door. "I wish you the best of luck too, Shira. I think you should talk with that boy. Who knows, maybe something will spark between you two. You just never know."_

_I nodded as I opened the door for her. "Okay, I'll see about talking with him as soon as I can, okay?"_

_Claire smiled a knowing smile. "That's all I ask. Goodbye, Shira. And thank you for the tea. It was delightful." She paused for a moment before turning back to me, a serious look having fallen over her face. "And one more thing, Shira. If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to call on me or Hershel. You two may not have met yet, but, because you are a friend of mine, I don't think he'll mind too much in helping you. Besides, helping people in need is what a gentleman does." _

_I nodded before I started waving. "Alright Claire. Thank you. Bye!" I waved goodbye, my mind dwelling on a small, bad feeling that was rising up. I brushed it away though as I went back to my seat. "Relax, Shira. Nothing bad is going to happen. Everything will be fine." I told myself as I took another swig of my tea._

* * *

Now that I thought back to that, that feeling of uneasiness came swelling back. And, for some reason, I just couldn't shake it off. Maybe it was that intuition that Mother always told me I had. But, whatever the reason, it was there and it was telling me that something was terribly wrong.

I shook my head though as I finally arrived at the pharmacy. "Calm down, Shira. Nothing is wrong, okay?" I berated myself as I stepped inside, waving at the lady at the counter before walking towards where the herbs were. "Okay, let's see. Tonic Flower, Tonic Flower…Aha!" I exclaimed as my eyes fell upon what I was searching for.

I reached for the glass container which held the healing herb inside of it, my hand wrapping around it and bring it towards me when, suddenly, a massive booming sound echoed into the room, accompanied with an earthquake-like shaking. The bottle holding the Tonic Flower fell out of my hands, shattering on the floor as I lost my footing, my bum landing onto the floor as a large dust cloud swept past outside.

The feeling of dread filled me again as I scrambled to my feet, rushing out the door. Whatever had just happened, it had happened in the direction of my home. I could see dozens of people clambering out of their own homes, in hope to investigate what had just taken place.

There were no sirens wailing, so why was it that everything around me seemed so deafening?

Then I rounded the last corner…and I could feel my world shattering around me, the cacophony from before having turned completely silent.

Smoke and fire rose up from what remained of the laboratory that Claire worked as an assistant in. I just knew in my inner being that she had not made it out. The apartments were in just as bad repair, having been within the blast radius. My mother and my sister had been in those apartments.

At this thought, tears welled up into my eyes as I collapsed to my knees. They were gone. They were all gone and nothing I did would ever bring them back. They were all I had.

There was one fleeting moment where I told myself that, maybe, they were still alive and I could save them. But, I knew better. Nobody could survive that. I mean, blimey! The aftermath of the blast reached all the way to the pharmacy! No, they were gone. And all I could do was sob bitterly as my world crumbled around me.


	2. Can This Really Be Happening?

**RML: Okay, i decided I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to get this posted as soon as possible! So, yeah. Chapter 2. I hope you guys like it! I don't own anybody or anything except Shira and her father. Anyways, on with the chapter!**

**Luke: You're not going to say anything funny? **

**RML: Er...okay, how about this. How about at the beginning of every chapter, I do a random quote from a video game, tv show, anime, or, more often than not, a Let's Player from youtube. Deal? **

**Luke: *shrugs* Sure, why not. As long as it will liven up the Authoress Note. **

**Random Quote: Chuggaaconroy: What you have to do is...ball...Aaand...Pop Him In The Face! CHILD ABUSE! -From Luigi's Mansion**

**Luke: O_o Really, that's the one you're using?**

**RM: *shrugs* What, it seems appropriate AND it's funny!**

**Luke: *rolls eyes* Whatever.**

* * *

"Blimey! Get out of here and don' ye eva come back, ye blithering *hic* bilge rat!" My father yelled at me before throwing his beer bottle at me. I barely managed to dodge the glass before it were to impact with my shoulder. "Ye're as worthless as a rock! Why don' ye go annoy the neighbors instead of botherin' me, eh? ! I don' know why I eva agreed to take ye in afta that explo-*hic*-sion down at the old apart-man' ye motha' took ye'll to. Ye've done nothin', but cause me grief."

I scowled at the man in front of me as he grabbed another bottle and took a swig of it. "Causing you grief? ! You don't even know the meaning of the word, you son of a-" I growled in frustration, my hand clenched before glaring at him. "You never loved Mother, you only married her so you could-"

I couldn't even finish my sentence before he jumped at me in his drunken state, his fist hitting against my face for what felt like the 50th time that day. I pushed him away though, running towards my room and locking the door, a sigh of relief escaping me as I leaned against it, my hand holding my head, only to feel something warm and sticky come in contact with it. I pulled my hand back to reveal blood. That old wound must've opened up again. I grabbed an old cloth off of the dresser next to my mirror, wiping away as much of the blood as I could.

I sighed as I felt tears well up in my eyes. Why did he have to mention the explosion? It had been 4 years since that fateful day, the day when I lost everything. After everything had happened, they, as in, the judicial system, had decided that, since he was the only blood relative I had, I was to go stay with my father. The one my mother had left because he had been abusing her. Whenever he got like this, he would always take it out on her. But now, since Mother wasn't here, he took it out on me instead. But, there was nothing I could do.

Whenever I tried to leave, a constable would bring me back. Nobody would listen when I told them of my father's deeds. I guess nobody cared. At least, not on this side of London. We lived right within the border of the bad side of London, where all the crooks, perverts, and just plain bad people lived. People also referred to it as the dangerous part of London and that everyone who lived here was considered a menace to society. Yet another reason why I wanted to get out of here. I was tired of people always judging me just because of where I lived.

I wept bitter tears as I sat against the door frame. I couldn't stay here much longer. I didn't know what to do. And then, I remembered what Claire had told me the day before the incident.

* * *

_And, one more thing, Shira. If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to call on me or Hershel. You two may not have met yet, but, because you are a friend of mine, I don't think he'll mind too much in helping you. Besides, helping people in need is what a gentleman does."_

* * *

Hershel…Hershel Layton! He would help me! A newfound hope that I hadn't felt in years climbed into my heart as I started scouring my room, gathering up anything that I wanted to take with me. I vowed to myself that I wouldn't be coming back. I would go to the one safe haven in this city. And nothing was going to stop me.

My brown, yellow, and white checkered messenger bag was filled now with everything that I wished to take. I took one last look at the small, dirty mirror that just seemed to match the rest of the room. My hair was a mess, dried blood that I couldn't wipe off was on my forehead, and my white and brown ribboned dress shirt was smothered in dirt. But, other than that, I still looked the same as I had four years ago, on the day of the accident. Same attire, same hair style. I still liked the style of clothes I had worn back then, so it was what I almost always wore nowadays.

I sighed at the sight of myself before putting a hand to the mirror, my eyes filling with determination. "Soon, Shira. Soon, you won't have to deal with this ever again. I'm not coming back here. Nothing will make me come back here. Nothing."

An incessant knocking started sounding at my door, startling me. I could hear my father yelling at me from the other side. I knew I didn't have much time before he would burst through that door and attack me again in his drunken stupor. I ran to the dirtied window which led to the front of the house. Obscenities came out of my mouth as I struggled to get it open. The window hadn't been opened in Lord only knew how long and it felt like the window had rusted to the bottom of the sill.

My father burst in just as I managed to pry the window completely open. "'Ey! Where ye think yer goin', eh?" He yelled at me as he started to stumble towards me.

"I've finally decided to get away from you for good, you good-for-nothing drunkard!" In hindsight, that probably wasn't the smartest thing to say, but, you know what, I was just too fed up with it all to really care. His eyes flashed dangerously as he crept closer though and that was when I knew I'd made a mistake.

I scrambled to climb out of the window, but I was too late. He grabbed hold of my ankle right as I was about to get out, pulling me back in and slamming me against the floor. Before I could even get my bearings about me, he had gotten on top of me, tearing at my shirt and pants. I started to struggle, trying to push him off, but he only continued in his efforts to undress me.

Panic started to rise up inside me. A scream of help escaped my lips as I struggled all the more harder, kicking and punching at him, trying to get him off. Thankfully, I managed to get a lucky kick in, hitting him in between his knickers. A pained groan sounded out of him as I pushed him off, running towards the door while I still had the chance, my hand keeping the torn up parts of my shirt together as I burst through the front door.

I don't know how far I ran or how long, but, I do know that, by the time I stopped, it was extremely dark and I was completely out of breath. My legs nearly gave out on me, but a nearby iron-wrought fence provided a support for me as I took deep breathes. I felt a little bit light-headed and nearly passed out right there, but I forced myself to stay focused. I couldn't pass out here. Not in the middle of London at night.

I panted as I started to slowly walk up the sidewalk, not knowing where I was going. Or, so I thought. It was almost as if a stronger force was directing me in a certain direction, telling me the different turns I would need to take. I didn't realize it at the time though. I was too exhausted to. Finally, my legs did give out on me, all of the strength in them entirely gone.

I collapsed on the bottom of a set of stairs, leading up to a quaint little flat that had a very warm feeling to it. This time, I just let the darkness take over me, letting me slip into a state of unconsciousness as the door to the flat opened up. The last thing I remembered hearing was a little boy's voice, yelling for someone to come quickly.

* * *

The first thing that came back to me was my sense of smell, of all things. I could smell a little bit of cinnamon, as well as the smell of Cayenne Twilight, which had always had a rather strong fragrance to it. Both of these scents caused me to relax as my other senses started to wake up. I could hear a voice whispering, a calming voice that I didn't recognize, followed by a cool feeling on my forehead. A wet cloth, my mind told me, as my sense of touch came back completely.

While the cloth was getting positioned on my forehead, it rubbed against the wound that had opened up before, the pain causing me to gasp softly. My gasp alerted whoever was in the room, the person opening the door and rushing to somewhere, judging by the footsteps on the floor.

I carefully blinked my eyes open, being careful as to the light next to the bed I was in. 'Wait a minute…bed? !' I bolted upright when realization hit me, my hand racing up to my head as pain started to shoot through my temples. "Headache…" I hissed out painfully. I forced myself to look around me though, trying to take in my surroundings. I wasn't outside. I was in a bed. In somebody'shouse. But who's?

Looking down at myself next, I realized that I wasn't in the clothes I had been in earlier. Instead, I was dressed in an orange and brownish-black robe that seemed to be a size too big on me. It was warm though. Then, something occurred to me. Did the people who lived here undress me? I could feel blood to go my head as I blushed. I undid the robe just a little bit so I could check. I just wanted to know for sure whether they'd really undressed me. A sigh of relief came out though as I saw that they'd only put it on over my clothes. I smiled. 'Well, at least I won't have to feel self-conscious around whoever is here. They hopefully didn't see anything.'

The door to the bedroom creaked open as a young boy in a white button-up shirt, blue shorts, and a blue hat walked in, followed by a man in a black cloak and top hat right behind him. One look at the man and I felt an involuntary gasp escape me. I recognized that top hat. Could it be…?

"Mr. Layton?" I croaked out. I just now realized how parched I was, my voice not wanting to cooperate properly.

A warm smile came onto his face as he took a seat next to the bed. "It's good to see you're finally awake, my dear." He chuckled as he reached up to a bed stand, the tea that I had smelled before waiting on top. He gently picked the cup up, handing it to me with the utmost care as to not spill a drop. "Here. This should help."

I carefully took the tea from him, taking a small sip of it. As soon as the taste reached my mouth, all of those memories of Claire came back. I could feel tears prick my eyes, which I quickly wiped away, careful as to not spill the tea on the comforter that lay over me.

"Are you alright, my dear?" the professor asked me worriedly.

I just nodded meekly. "Yeah, it's just…the taste of the tea reminded me of someone very important to me."

The professor nodded in understanding. "I am sorry. If I may ask though, what happened to cause you to fall unconscious on my doorstep?"

I slowly brought the cup away from my lips, my eyes downcast. "Well…I…" I sighed. I didn't understand why it was so hard to tell him, now that he was right here in front of me. I'd resolved to telling him and seeing if he would exact justice. But, now…I just wasn't sure how to do it. I guessed the best way to tell him was to just say it and get it done with. "My father attacked me."

"What? ! That's absolutely disgraceful! A gentleman should never do that to a lady, especially if that lady is his own daughter!" Another voice cried, this voice of the young boy who had walked in earlier with Mr. Layton.

"Now, Luke, that is no way to talk about someone, even if it is the truth." Mr. Layton chastised, a stern tone in his voice.

I shook my head though. "There is only one problem with that statement…Luke, was it?"

He nodded before asking, "What would be the problem with it?"

My expression hardened, my hands subconsciously gripping the tea cup in my hands to the point of it almost shattering. "My father is no gentleman. If anything, he is the complete opposite of one. He's almost always drunk, which means he takes out all physical abuse on me and, when he isn't drunk, he doesn't pay me a bit of attention, unless it's to yell at me and tell me how worthless I am. He's absolutely nothing to me and I'm glad that I'm not there anymore."

My small outburst left the two of them speechless. I didn't blame them. The things my father had done...I wouldn't even go into detail about them, lest I scare them even more. Luke started to stammer, trying to find the right words to say, but obviously failing.

I took another sip of my tea, allowing a small smile to come to me as I looked back at him. "It's alright, Luke. I'm not there now and…hopefully…I'll never have to go back. You know what? I'm so sorry. Where are my manners? I completely forgot to introduce myself."

Layton put his hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention to him. "It's alright. We are partially to blame as well, having not entirely introduced ourselves. How about you start?"

I nodded my head. "My name is Shira. Shira McCarthey."

A warm smile came onto Layton's face as he stood up. "Well, it seems like you already know who I am, but, in any case, I am Professor Hershel Layton of Gressenheller University."

The small boy, Luke, hopped onto the bed with great vigor, a huge grin on his face as he stated who he was. "And I'm Luke Triton, Apprentice #1 of the great Professor Layton."

I laughed after he said this. His enthusiasm was rubbing off on me, I suppose. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Luke. And you as well, Professor."

The Professor stood up after the introductions had been passed around. "Well, now that we all know each other, I'd say it was time for us all to get some sleep." He motioned for Luke to leave the room, most likely to go to bed.

Luke pouted, but did as the Professor said, climbing off the bed before lumbering to the door. "Goodnight, Shira."

"Goodnight, Luke." I chuckled out as I set my tea back on the small saucer before curling myself up into the blankets, enjoying the warmth they gave.

The Professor walked over to the door soon after, just turning towards me before stepping out. "Shira, I'll be sure to call the Inspector tomorrow and tell him of your situation."

My eyes widened at this, fear and panic rising up inside of me as I bolted upright again. "Professor, wait!" I cried out just as he was about to close the door.

He hurried back in, worry written on his face. "What is it, my dear?"

I felt tears start to streak down my face, the fear becoming evident in my eyes. "Please, Professor. Don't call the Inspector! Please! They'll just send me back if you do!"

A sob escaped me as Professor Layton sat down on the bed next to me. "Now, Shira. What would give you that idea?" he asked me gently as he lifted my face up to his, my face completely soaked with tears.

"They always do, Professor! They always do…" I choked back another sob as he pulled me into his embrace, my hands instinctively grabbing hold of his shirt as I cried into his chest. He started to rub his hand in circles on my back in an attempt to calm me of my fears.

"Shira…shhh…shhh…It's alright. It's alright. I promise you, I won't allow that to happen. Do you understand? I won't allow them. Not if I have anything to say about it." He whispered in a soothing voice, my tears slowly starting to stop.

"Do…" I sniffled. "Do you mean that, Professor?" I asked softly, my voice having gone back to hurting like before. I pulled myself from his shirt to look into his eyes. I wanted to make sure he wasn't just saying that.

The Professor nodded, an expression of sincerity present. "Yes I do, Shira. I sincerely do. Besides, it's a gentleman's duty to always protect those who can't protect themselves."

I laughed weakly. "She was right. You are a true gentleman."

"Who was right, my dear?" He asked me, quirking an eyebrow.

"Claire."

* * *

**RML: DUN DUN DUN! I wonder how the Professor will react to that! Leave a review, everyone and tell me what you think! :D I'd love to hear from you! Oh, and, speaking of reviews, I'd like to thank Redsparrow3 and Dandelion Oak for their wonderful reviews! :D I'm glad you like this and I hope you two enjoy this chapter! ^_^ **** Anyways, I hope you like it! If you do, click on the bright blue button down at the bottom! You know you want to!**

**Clive: DO IT! **

**RML: Ack! I thought I told you you weren't supposed to be here yet! *shoves outside of room* *sigh* Okay. Now that that's over, See You Next Chapter!**

**Also, this is a re-edit. Earlier, I had a British vocab list for words I had used. I didn't realize it would offend anyone when I did it, but, well...it did. I completely understand why and I understand where you're coming from. So, with some re-wording, I'm not posting this chapter again. Oh, and, Dandelion Oak, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I can't say it enough. **

**Luke: She really is sorry, D.O.! She couldn't sleep well last night because of it, it was bothering her so much. **

**RML: :/ It's true, I didn't sleep well because of it. So, because I want to show you how sorry I truly am, I'm going to write a one-shot for you. Anything at all. Just let me know. As long as it's not yaoi, yuri, or has any sex in it. ^^; But, yeah! Let me know what in the one-shot and I'll write it! :D It'll give me something to do on the blackout day. lol**

**Luke: She means it too! Just let us know! I'll be on her case to make sure she does it.**

**Clive: *pokes head in* As will I!**

**RML: *vein pop* HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE? !**

**Clive: ._. Yikes! *runs away***


	3. Could I Possibly Make Things Any Worse?

**Hey All! Here's the random quote of the day: You Chocolate-Dipped Banana Elephant!-Chuggaaconroy, Pokemon Firered LP**

**Luke: Oo Er...wha...?**

**RML: What? ! It's funny!**

**Luke: *walks away* Whatever.  
**

* * *

The Professor could only stare at me with wide eyes, his voice seeming to be lost as he tried to find the words to say. "Y-you…knew Claire?"

My head downcast, I nodded. I wasn't sure why, but I felt like I possibly had said the wrong thing. I wasn't expecting this kind of reaction at all.

The Professor grabbed ahold of my shoulders, his grip just a little too strong for my liking. I just brushed off the pain though. "How? How did you know Claire?"

"The day before she died…did she mention something about you taking time off to come with her to meet a friend of hers?" I asked quietly.

"Y-yes, but…"

"That friend…was me, Professor."

If the situation hadn't been so melancholy, I probably would've laughed at the look on the Professor's face when I said that. "But…but, if that were the case…that would mean that you were-"

"13. I was 13, Professor." I put my hand over his, which still had an iron grip on my shoulder. "My mother, sister, and I…we lived next to the laboratory that Claire worked as an assistant at. Whenever she had breaks, when she wasn't going to see you, she came to see us. She…she was like a sister to me, Professor. An older sister that I could tell everything to."

The Professor stayed silent, which I took as a cue to continue. "The day before the explosion, she came by. She showed me the hat she'd bought you. She said she wanted to give you something special and I told her the hat was perfect for a gentleman like you." I chuckled."You know, she told me so much about you. About how much of a gentleman you truly were. I had told her that I'd like to meet you someday, just to see for my own eyes the one that she loved." I looked up into the Professor's eyes, tears brimming the edges of both of ours. "Professor, she loved you so much. I could see it literally beaming off of her like the sun's rays. She cared so much for you. She really did."

A few tears were falling down the Professor's face by now. "What happened on the day of the explosion? Why is it you were living with your father if you were originally living with your mother and sister?"

I think he already knew, but, I think he just wanted to confirm it, just to be sure. Tears were falling down my eyes now as I recounted the events of that day. "My sister, she was sick that day. My mother had me go to the pharmacy a couple blocks away to get medicine and herbal tea to help make her better. But…while I was there…it happened. The explosion. The shockwave from the explosion reached all the way to the pharmacy. I had had a feeling the day before that something bad was going to happen…but…I never imagined that what would end up happening would make me lose everything I cared about. I lost the three most important people to me that day. My mother, my sister Kay, and Claire. I…I remember being in shock for a few days…being taken from one place to another, though it was more of a blur, if anything. The one main thing that I truly remember more than anything during those days was the moment when they handed me off to my father. And…you know the rest."

The Professor only nodded before pulling me into another hug. Nothing needed to be said. I felt bad that I had brought the heartache of losing Claire back, but he was the one that asked me and I didn't want to lie to him. Not after all he had done for me.

It wasn't long before the Professor pulled out of the embrace we shared. He only sighed before he started to get up. I reached out to him though, grabbing ahold of his sleeve before he left.

"Professor…I'm sorry. I…I didn't mean to…bring back those memories to you…"

He turned back to me with a kind, but sad smile. "No, Shira. Thank you. I am glad you told me. It was…something I needed to know."  
"But…still…I am sorry." Next thing I knew, I felt the Professor ruffle my hair in a fatherly manner, something my father had never done. I looked back up at him, not entirely sure of how to react.

The Professor chuckled before he winked, turning back towards the door. "Sleep well, Shira. Don't worry, everything will be alright. Good night."

I could feel a small smile escape me as he turned out the light. "Good night…Professor."

Taking one last look back at me, the Professor closed the door. I curled myself back into the blankets again, new feelings flowing through me: Safety...warmth…and…love. "And…thank you…" I whispered out, as I let sleep overtake me again. The Professor said that everything would be fine…and I believed every word of it.

* * *

About 5 hours later, I woke up, the sun just barely peeking in through the windows. I yawned and stretched a bit before pushing the covers back. 'A new day. Hopefully, this one will hold promise.' I thought as I got up, exploring around the room a bit.

It seemed to be a bit bigger than my old one, definitely more clean and organized. The bed was king sized, a lot bigger than my old futon back at my father's place. It sat in the middle of the room, up against the left side of the wall, sticking out towards the right side. A nightstand lay to the left of the bed, the tea from earlier in the night still there. A medium sized desk was pushed up against the window, giving a view of the street below and also of the London Bridge, which was a few miles from here, but still sticking up in all its glory.  
Turning towards the other side of the room, I saw two doors, one leading out to the hallway and the other most likely leading into a closet. Hanging on the handle to the hallway door, to my delight, was my messenger bag. Ignoring the closet for now, I made my way towards my bag, lifting it up and carrying it back to the bed.

In one swift motion, I turned my bag over, pouring the contents out, all of them landing onto the bedspread. Picking through what I'd brought, I quickly grabbed the change of clothes and the cover-up that I'd stashed in there before putting everything back.

"Now, to find the loo." I said as I made my way to the door, being sure as to not make noise as I stepped out. I didn't know how long the Professor and Luke slept in and I didn't want to wake them. I knew it was really too early anyway. I crept softly down the hall, looking back and forth as I looked for a door that would indicate where the bathroom was.

I had to silently open a few doors before I finally found it at the end of the hall. I had ended up opening the Professor's door and Luke's. They were both still asleep, just like I'd thought they'd be. 'All the more reason to be quiet.' I thought as I shut the door behind me and stepped up to the wall length mirror.

Thus began the tedious task of dressing myself. "First, let's see what the damage is from last night." I said as I undid the robe, letting it fall to the floor before stripping the torn apart shirt off, leaving me in just my bra. With the shirt off, I could see all of the bruises that had formed from last night, plus ones that had been healing from previous nights. So many dotted my skin that, if you had seen me and didn't know any better, you'd think I'd have the measles or something, the only difference being the color of the bruises compared to the color of the dots from the illness. Only one or two on my arms, the rest on my stomach and chest. There were possibly a few on my legs too, but I'd have to check them in a minute.

I sighed, tracing my finger around one of the bruises. It was going to take a lot of work covering all of this up. 'Well, I'll do it later. I get the feeling that I need to leave them be for now.' Sighing again, I grabbed for the spare shirt I'd brought, pulling it over my head. As I did though, the fabric rubbed up against the wound on my forehead, causing me to hiss out in pain.

Once I had the shirt on all the way, I lifted my bangs up, examining the open cut. It still had a bit of dried blood around it and it was beginning to scab over. It looked horrible. As I continued to look over the cut, I failed to hear the bathroom door start to open.

"Huh? Shira?"

I involuntarily jumped, turning to see the Professor standing in the doorway in another orange and black robe. His eyes widened as his gaze went towards my forehead. I hadn't realized it, but I still was holding my bangs up, the cut plain as day. I hurriedly tried to fix my bangs back, but the Professor walked over and grabbed a hold of my hand, stopping me. I cowered back, thinking that I'd angered him. But, instead, I only felt him caressing the cut, examining it like I had been. His eyes showed anger, but also showed sympathy.  
"Shira, when did this happen?" he asked me softly. He must've noticed how I'd reacted to him.

"It…it happened a few months ago…but, it never seems to stay closed long enough to completely heal. It keeps reopening…in the struggles…"

The Professor frowned, but, when he saw me watching him, he smiled that kind smile that I'd found myself growing used to. "Well, come then. Let's get it cleaned up, shall we?"

He motioned for me to sit up on top of the counter as he started rummaging through the cabinets, before walking back over with a cloth, bandages and disinfectant. We both stayed quiet as he started to wash the dried blood off, revealing the wound to be deeper than he originally thought.

"Oh Shira…" He whispered when he saw it. "I…I'm so sorry…"

I chuckled before hissing as he started applying the disinfectant to it, making it burn a little. "It's alright, Professor. I've dealt with worse than this."

The Professor shook his head as he taped the bandage over it. "No person should have to deal with something like this and definitely not with something worse than this either."

"Well, now that I'm away from him, hopefully I won't have to." I said as I grinned, jumping off the counter and looking into the mirror, inspecting my forehead. I nodded in approval as I turned back to the Professor, giving him a quick hug. "Thank you, Professor. It's sure to heal a lot easier now."

"You're welcome, Shira. But, unfortunately, I don't think it's going to heal over completely. If what you said is true about it reopening so many times, I'm afraid it's going to end up scarring."

'Won't be the only scar I have.' I thought to myself. I didn't dare say this out loud though. I didn't want to burden him even more. Instead, I only started to shoo him out of the bathroom so I could finish getting ready for the day. "I should be done in just a few, alright Professor?"

He smiled and nodded, shutting the door behind him and leaving me to finish taking care of my morning routine. I changed into my pants, being careful of the bruises that dotted my legs. There was a bottle of mouthwash next to the sink and I quickly grabbed for one of the small cups stacked up next to it for this very reason. I had failed to grab my toothbrush when I'd left the night before, so rinsing my mouth out this way was the best I could do for now.

After spitting the foamy liquid out, I found a spare comb in a drawer and used it to brush my hair real fast. I still felt like something was missing though…and that's when I remembered. 'My hat!' It must still be in the room I'd stayed in. That thought caused me to look over myself one last time before grabbing what I'd brought in and leaving the bathroom, heading back to the room I had slept in real fast.  
Setting the clothes down on top of the bed, I began my search for my hat and coat. It wasn't until I inspected every inch of the room when a thought occurred to me. "It's in the closet, isn't it?" I groaned as I walked over to said door, opening it to see my sleeveless coat and my hat hanging up inside together. I beamed, taking the hanger with the two objects down and putting them on.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a reflection of myself in something. Turning completely, I realized there was a mirror hanging on the inside of the closet door. This only made me grin wider. Now that I had my hat and coat on, I looked more like myself then before. Well, minus the bandage, that is. In any case though, I now felt that I could take on anything. So, with this mindset, I made my way downstairs, reaching a hallway that branched off to two different rooms: A living/sitting room and a kitchen.

The Professor was in the kitchen already, sitting down and drinking a cup of tea, still dressed in his robe. He must have heard my come downstairs because he looked up from the newspaper he'd been reading, a soft smile adorning his face. He looked to be in high spirits today, just as I felt. I walked in and took a seat next to him.

"Well, I'm all done, Professor." I said happily. "You may go get ready yourself now, if you'd like."

He closed his eyes, still smiling as he set his tea and paper down before getting to his feet. "Thank you, Shira. I'll be down shortly." He reopened his eyes and turned them to me, his eyes glinting with a puzzled, yet happy shine. "Before I go get ready though, how would you like to do a puzzle?"

Confusion washed through me. "A…puzzle, Professor?" I asked nervously. I wasn't much of a puzzle person. I'd only done the occasional crossword puzzle and then the math problems that the teacher called 'puzzles', but that was it.

He nodded, his grin widening. "Yes, Shira. A puzzle. So, would you like to hear it?"

"Uh…sure…I guess…" 'This is…weird…to say the least.' I added in my thoughts.

I honestly didn't think the Professor's grin couldn't get any bigger, but it did when I'd said yes. 'He must really like puzzles.' I thought just as he started telling me the details on this 'puzzle' he wanted me to solve.

"Don't worry, it's not a big one. It's actually fairly easy. Are you ready?"

I nodded, a little unsure, hoping I could do it.

"What can be broken, but not touched?"

I almost fell off my chair. "Wha…what? !"

He smirked playfully. "What can be broken, but not touched?" he repeated.

"I…I…"

He playfully ruffled my hair and my hat again before leaving the room. "Don't worry, I'll give you time to think it over. You can give me your answer when I get done." With that, he headed upstairs, leaving me alone in the kitchen.

I wracked my thoughts for something, anything to make sense of what the Professor said. "What can be broken, but not touched…" I mumbled to myself. "Hmm…" I closed my eyes, my thoughts starting to gather together. 'Well, it could be…no…that can't be it. That can be touched…in fact, all physical things can be touched…maybe…maybe it's a mental thing? Or maybe it has to do with words…conversations…hmm…'

I sat there for a few minutes, not even noticing Luke come downstairs and sit down across from me. I was too focused on trying to make sense of what the Professor said. I snapped out of my thoughts though when Luke started pouring two cups of tea, setting one in front of me, a friendly smile on his face. I nodded thanks to him as the scent of the tea reached my senses. Cayenne Twilight, the same tea I'd been given last night. The memories of the night before flooded my mind as I started to take a sip of my tea, hoping the taste would help my mind to settle a bit. And that's when the answer dawned on me.

"That's it!" I exclaimed as I stood, breaking the silence that had fallen over us and causing Luke to spill his tea and fall out of his chair. My tea didn't do any better, the cup going back onto the table with a tad bit of force, thankfully not enough to break it though. The liquid spilled out over the table edge and onto the floor. I gasped when I noticed Luke sprawled out on the floor, rubbing his head.

"What was that about, Shira?" He muttered irately as he got himself up, sitting back in his seat, only to see the mess the tea had made when it had fallen from both of our hands. He sighed as he stood back up and went to find a towel. He took a minute to wipe the table and floor of any spilt tea before sitting back down, the towel being put near the inside of the sink to dry. Again, he asked me, "Now, what wasit you were yelling about?"

I rubbed the back of my head embarrassingly as I sat back down, a nervous laugh permeating the air. "Heh heh…sorry, Luke. It's just, the Professor gave me this puzzle and-"

At the word 'puzzle', Luke nodded sagely, understanding falling over him. "Oh, I see. That explains everything." He chuckled. "You better get used to it. The Professor will be giving you a lot more, that is, if you are allowed to stay here."

Me, stay here? The thought hadn't really occurred to me. Though, I guess in a way, it kind of had. I honestly did like it here and I could already feel a bond growing between the Professor and I. Hopefully, if things worked out alright with the Scotland Yard, and if the Professor didn't mind, I could stay here.

I let out a silent chuckle through my nose, a smirk playing onto my mouth. "Well, if things permit, maybe I can stay here. It's not like I really have anywhere else to go. And I'm certainly not going back to my father's house."

And the Professor took this moment in time to come in, his attire from last night back on once again. He had his beloved top hat adorning his head, his black cloak over an orange blazer and black slacks and shoes. Overall, he did look like a Professor, now that I actually thought about it.

He smiled at the two of us, greeting Luke with a "Good Morning" and then turning to me, that puzzling twinkle back in his eyes. "So, Shira. Were you able to figure it out?"

I nodded. "Yes, surprisingly enough, I was, Professor."

"And what is your answer, my dear?"

"A promise. A promise is able to be broken, yet you can't touch it. That was the answer you wanted me to find, correct?"

He smirked, taking his seat back next to me. "Yes, it was, my dear. Of course, the answer could've also been 'thought' and 'silence', but 'promise' was the one I wanted you to find in particular."

I arched an eyebrow. "And what was that reason, Professor?"

"You do remember what I told you last night, correct?"

"Uh…we talked about a lot of things last night, Professor. Which part are you referring to?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion.  
"I'm referring to when I told you not to worry and that everything will be alright." He replied, his hand going to my shoulder. "I meant what I said, Shira. And I promise you, it will be alright. Do you trust me?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do, Professor."

He smiled. "Good."

Luke just watched us, confusion written all across his face. "Uh…okay…I have no idea what is going on. Just what are you two tal-"  
And the doorbell rang, interrupting what Luke was about to ask. At the sound of the bell being rung, the Professor stood up from his seat, giving me another comforting squeeze on the shoulder before going to the door. "That would be the Inspector."

And, sure enough, there was the Inspector at the door. In particular, the head of Scotland Yard, Inspector Clamp Grosky, or, at least, I assumed so, since that was what the Professor called him when they greeted each other. I could hear the two conversing with each other for a moment before the Professor allowed him to come in.

Hearing his footsteps coming closer, I felt the urge inside of me to run, but I suppressed it for two reasons. One: there was no place to run. And two: I had to see this through. I couldn't keep running from my problems, no matter how scared I was of being forced to go back.

So, I didn't move from my spot. I just sat there, drinking my tea as the Inspector made his way to the kitchen, the Professor right behind him. When I heard him step in, I looked up and had to stifle a laugh that was building up into my throat. Unfortunately, I don't think I succeeded too well, a weird smile crossing my face from trying to keep the laughter in.

Now, just so you know, this was my first time meeting the head of the Scotland Yard, so it was no wonder I was reacting this way. The Inspector was, to say the least, eccentric. He had a blue pompadour that reached about a foot out into the air and it jiggled whenever he moved. He also had a blue mustache on his face, just underneath that big nose of his and atop his cleft chin. Unfortunately for my eyes, he was wearing a low-bearing white dress shirt and red tie underneath his tan coat. The reason this was bad was because his chest hair was sticking out of the top of the shirt profusely. In a way, it was funny, but, in another way, it was a scarring sight to see. His green pants and brown shoes completed his...attire.

He stood himself in the doorway to the kitchen, puffing out his chest which, unfortunately, showed his chest hair even more. When he opened his mouth to speak, I finally couldn't take it anymore. A howl of laughter escaped me, forcing me to put my head down onto my arms, stifling the sound as I hit the table a few times with my fist. It was just too much.

I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on me. They were probably really confused as to why I'd reacted like this. In all honesty though, I didn't know the answer to that myself. Maybe I'd just needed the laugh, maybe it was all just too much for me and my body decided to react differently, or maybe it was that the sight of the Inspector before me just made me realize it was really happening. That my freedom was finally coming. Whichever one it was, I knew one thing. All of the fear I'd had before was completely gone.

It took me a minute, but the big laughs finally stopped, just resulting to small giggles. This was when I'd brought my head back up, seeing, just as I'd suspected, everyone staring at me, confused. I shook my head, giggles coming out every few seconds or so.

"Don't worry. I'm fine. I...I really needed to get that out of my system. That's all." I said between chuckles, a snort of laughter coming out once or twice. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Inspector...?"

He stared at me a second longer, the question still sinking in before he shook his head and gained his composure back. He cleared his throat before addressing me. "I am Inspector Grosky of the Yard. The Professor called me on account of an incident between you and your father last night. Your name is...Shira, correct?"

I nodded, the giggles having finally stopped. "Yes, sir."

The Professor, having finally gotten over the shock of my outburst, walked over and took his seat next to me, motioning for the Inspector to take a seat as well. He knew as well as I did that this would take awhile. Before he started on anything more, he turned to Luke, a serious expression on his face. "Luke, my boy, why don't you go upstairs for a little bit? This is something that needs to be an adult discussion, alright?"

Luke nodded and got up from his seat, walking past me and giving me a light squeeze on my arm before leaving. He knew what we were going to talk about. I could see it in his eyes, the hope that everything would go alright.

I smiled in the direction he'd left in before putting my attention on the Inspector, who was trying to fit himself comfortably on one of the stools. I heard the chair creak when he finally managed to get himself positioned right and face us. He looked at me with an analyzing gaze, sizing me up. I didn't like how he was looking at me and, after he kept looking at me like this for about seven minutes, I just about snapped.

"Okay, why do you keep looking at me like that? I'm not some meat inside of a freezer that you can just size up to decide whether I'm tasty or not! So let's just get on with this already!" I snapped.

"Shira..." The Professor's voice had a warning tone in it. "That is no way a lady should act."

I turned my attention to him, irritated. "Well, he certainly isn't acting very gentlemanly."

"That doesn't mean that you should show the same attitude. A lady always acts with dignity and grace, not with anger." The Professor told me calmly.

I sighed and turned back to the inspector, who was shocked that I'd burst out like that. The good feeling I'd had earlier was gone and all that was left was irritation and sourness. But, I tried to keep a calm demeanor about me, as to not disrespect the Inspector more than I already had. I had a feeling my outburst had just put me in deep water.

"I'm sorry, Inspector." I huffed out. "Now, could you please tell me what you were thinking about when you were looking at me for so long?"

The Inspector composed himself and looked at me again, his eyes having gone steely. "I was merely debating with myself whether or not that bandage on your head had been an injury caused by your father or by yourself. That is all."

This answer didn't bode with me well and it took all of my willpower to not shout at him. "My father did this to me, sir. And it's not the only injury I have from him."

The Professor looked at me, slightly shocked. I hadn't told him about my other injuries. Well, he certainly knew now.

The Inspector didn't look as shocked though. Actually, he looked more analyzing at me. And what he said next boiled my blood more-so than anything else. "I have read reports on you, Shira McCarthey. Multiple encounters with many of the officers at the station. They said that whenever they saw you, you weren't injured and, whenever they took you home, your father reacted very calmly and responsibly. Thereby, I would have to say that the injuries you just told me about are simply make believe."

That was it. That was it. Now do you see what I mean about nobody caring or listening to me? Well, you certainly do now. I slammed my hands on the table, letting my stool fall to the floor loudly as I stood up in anger. "Make believe? Make believe? Does this-" at that word, I lifted up my shirt up to the top of my stomach, revealing the dozens upon dozens of bruises scattered across it. "look like make believe to you?" I pointed at him angrily, letting my shirt fall back down. "I'll have you know that every single day I was in that house was a day I wished that I had died with my mother and sister! They were the lucky ones! They didn't have to go back to a man who got drunk every day and beat them half to death every night! But I did! I did." I leaned in close to his face, our noses just barely touching,my next words being hissed out. "And, let me tell you something. I am not going back there. And nothing you do or say will every make me do otherwise."

With that, I leaned back and headed for the doorway. "Good day to you, Inspector." With that, I left the Professor and the Inspector alone in the kitchen, the two of them dumbfounded.

* * *

**RML: O_O Oh My Goodness! I'm soooooo sorry for not updating! . I have had this chapter written up for a long while and I thought I had posted it already. But, when I was checking up on my stuff today, I realized I hadn't. :P So, here it is now! **

**Luke: You should be sorry. I was wondering when you were going to realize that you hadn't updated. **

**RML: *eye twitch* Luke...why didn't you say anything...?  
**

**Luke: *shrug* I figured you were holding out on the chapter for a reason.  
**

**RML: SERIOUSLY, LUKE? NEXT TIME, TELL ME! *glares*  
**

**Luke: *gulps* I...I will...*cowers* Please don't hurt me...  
**

**RML: *sighs in frustration before hugging Luke* I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. But, please. Tell me next time, okay?  
**

**Luke: *nods* I will...  
**

**Clive: *peeks in* You know, if _I_ had been allowed in, you would've remembered.  
**

**RML: *eye twitches before picks up a random book and throws it at Clive, hitting him in the face*  
**

**Clive: *falls to the floor, dazed* Owww...I...don't think I deserved that one...  
**

**RML: *rolls eyes* Anyway, like I said. Sorry about not updating. But, please review! Read and Review! Oh, and I don't own anything except Shira and her father. :D  
**


End file.
